Filing Environmental Comments at STB

Make Your Voice Count!  Take a Moment to Make Our Park!

 

NEW DEADLINE: May 7, 2009, 4 p.m.

 

 

The Embankment Preservation Coalition requests supporters of Harsimus Branch Embankment preservation to immediately file an environmental comment with the Surface Transportation Board. 

It’s easy to do.  A simple comment will take you no more than a few minutes.

 

How to File:*

 

1.       Go to http://www.stb.dot.gov

2.       Choose E-FILING from the horizontal menu.

3.       On the web page that comes up, choose Environmental Comments in the righthand column.

4.       Enter, in the first four boxes, the Docket No:  AB  167  1189  X

5.       Enter your comment.

6.       Click Submit.

 

 

Comment Guidelines

All comments should call for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).  The National Environmental Policy Act requires Federal agencies to prepare EISs for major Federal actions that significantly affect the quality of the human environment.  The STB’s environmental arm is so far saying that no EIS is necessary for the Embankment.  We need to change their minds.

 

If you have little time, write something basic, for example:

 

Our community needs a full study of the effects that abandonment of the Harsimus Branch, and demolition of the Embankment, will have on our community and city. 

 

If you have more time, write about a few points important to you.  Here are some topics you can talk about:

 

1.  How abandonment will lead directly to demolition (Conrail and partner are seeking demo permits now)

 

2.  What demolition of the massive structure will mean:

·      air quality

·      dust

·      noise

·      vibrations

·      heavy truck traffic through fragile historic districts

·      damage to buildings on two sides for one-half mile

·      removal of a cultural resource

·      health

·      flooding (no half-mile of fill to absorb stormwater in flood plain)

·      water quality (increased burden on combined sewers; release of CSOs into Hudson Estuary)

·      release of contaminants

·      habitat destruction

·      wildlife, including migratory birds and monarch butterflies, and much local species

·      ecosystem (part of habitat corridor joining Hudson to Hackensack)

·      cultural loss for Holy Rosary historic festival and Italian community

·      loss of grade-separated transportation structure, ideal for urban area’s heavy traffic

·      loss of light rail linking Secaucus to waterfront

·      loss of light freight opportunities

 

3.  Only one preliminary study of contaminants has been done, and only on a section of the Branch.

 

4.  Conrail’s developer partner has not submitted results of an environmental sampling study to STB.

 

5.  The federal agency should enforce federal laws that protect the public interest rather than burdening local governments and citizens.

 

 

Background Information:

Environmental Assessment issued by Section of Environmental Analysis

National Environmental Policy Act

National Historic Preservation Act

* Problems have been reported when using Google Chrome to access the STB site. Please use an alternate browser when filing comments.